PHIL 103

Debate/Judging Assignment

Procedure:

1. Students in section 2 participate in a debate. Students in section 3 judge a debate.

2. Students in section 2 see Course Syllabus under "Approximate Schedule of Readings, Assignments, Debates, Exams," for debate topics and date of each debate. The topics are in bold face. Put your name, and email address on a piece of binder paper. Select 3 debate topics and list them on the piece of binder paper in order of your preference. Also indicate the side you want to argue. You can argue either "yes" or "no." This information is due to me at the same time as Case Study 1 is due. It must be submitted as a separate assignment, putting it directly into an email. NO ATTACHMENTS. Failure to comply by the due date will result in your receiving a O on the cooperation portion of your debate.

3 I repeat give me the information requested in (2) no later than 12 PM of the due date specified in the syllabus for debate/judging information. The information may be given to me in class or sent to me via e-mail. I will make up the list of debaters and attempt to base assignments on your choices.

4. No debate information is required for students in section 3. Each student in section 3 will be arbitrarily assigned to judge a debate.

5. Students in both sections are responsible for informing themselveslf of the date of their debate/judging assignment. I will announce in class when these assignments are posted on my web-page; and, each of you must go to the Courses Materials link and from there access Debate-Judging Schedule via the link to that schedule on thecourse materials page. If there is some reason why you cannot debate/judge on the assigned day, let me know as soon as possible.

Debate Format:

1. Teams of two against two carry out each debate.

2. Each team (not each team member) will have approximately 10 minutes to present its side of the question. After both teams have presented their argument, each team will have five minutes to rebut at least one point made by the opposing side. A question and answer period will follow

3. Team members on each side of the debate will be judged in part on how well they cooperate and divide up the task of presenting their side of the argument. When you find out who your debate partner is, take note of his/her phone number and/or e-mail address. In this way, you can talk together about how to present your side of the question.

4. Each debater must hand in to me at the finish of the debate a summary of his/her debate points. Debaters who fail to hand in a summary of their debate points will have points deducted from the cooperation category of their debate grade.

5. Debaters, introduce yourself, state the side that you will argue, look at the class, not at me. Show knowledge of assigned reading and class lectures that are related (as indicated by weekly schedule) to debate topic.

Judging Format:

1. Each judge will be assigned to judge either one debater or both members of a debate team.

2. Each judge will (1) fill out one Debate Rating Form and (2) provide a written summary of all of the debating points made by each team member whom you are judging. For the Debate Rating From (see below or access a copy via Course Materials link on web-page). Note well: When you fill out the Debate Rating Form, you must justify in detail and separately for each category the point assignment made by you to each of the debaters that you judge. For example, if you rate a person as a three in the category of "Shows Knowledge of the Topic," you must state precisely what knowledge he/she displayed that justifies the 3 rating. If you rate the debater lower than a 3 in that category, you must indicate what he/she failed to say that would have shown more knowledge of the topic.

3. The debate evaluation form and summaries of debate points are due to me no later than 1 week after the debate that you judge.

Debate Rating Form

Judge:

Debate Topic and Side ("Yes" or "No"):

Procedure:

1. Use this scale: 1= not at all

2 = somewhat

3 = to a great extent

3. Using the scale in (2), rate separately the two team members on the following criteria:

NAME NAME

_________________ ___________________

CRITERIA:

Rating Rating

A. Gave one clear reason ______ ______

for his/her position

B. Spoke within time limit ______ ______

C. Showed knowledge of topic ______ ______

D. Spoke so as to be heard ______ ______

E. Cooperated on a division of labor ______ ______

TOTAL POINTS ______ ______

JUSTIFICATION:

Explain why you assigned each debater the rating that you did assign to her/him on each of the criteria. You may use the back of this form and additional sheets of paper for your justification.